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of variegated flowers that sweeten the atmosphere with their 

 odour. At length, however, the branches begin to drop off, 

 and the whole tree runs rapidly to decay. At this stage it 

 is deserted by all those plants that had lent their foliage to 

 grace its latter days, and the veteran is left to fall alone. 



" The surface of the ground is occupied chiefly by the 

 Ferns. This extensive tribe seems to have been designed 

 for the shade, as their vegetation is never more rapid, nor 

 more luxuriant, than when they are buried in the most 

 profound obscurity. This must be understood, however, 

 with some limitation, there being several species that creep 

 along the trunks of the trees ; others which establish them- 

 selves at once as parasites, high up among the branches; 

 and not a few that elevate their spreading parasols on their 

 proper stem to the height of many fathoms. 



" Those parts of the island that have been stripped of 

 their native wood, and left in an uncultivated state, are 

 annually overgrown with a thick crop of hard, reed-like 

 grasses, consisting, for the most part, of Anthistiria, Pani- 

 cum, and Andropogon. At the commencement of the rainy 

 season, these grasses spring up with such rapidity, that in 

 the course of a few weeks the ground is covered to the 

 height of several feet, and exhibits an uninterrupted coat of 

 verdure. This pleasing colour, however, soon passes away, 

 and is succeeded by a fiery brown of a very opposite 

 character. Vegetation now ceases entirely, and the sun and 

 wind, asserting their power, lay the whole prostrate along 

 the ground, where it lies bleached to whiteness, until, on 

 the return of the periodical rains, a fresh crop springs up 

 and covers it from view. 



" The above remarks, modified by a few peculiarities, are 

 equally applicable to the Island of Bourbon. The superior 

 height of its mountains has rendered its alpine Flora rather 

 more copious ; but its coast, though destitute of coral-reefs, 

 shelves so suddenly, and is so violently and incessantly 

 assailed by a heavy rolling surge, that hardly any marine 

 ))lants have established themselves on its shore." 



[ To be continued.] 



